Description
This Crock Pot Birria Tacos recipe features tender, slow-cooked chuck roast simmered in a rich, flavorful blend of chilies and spices, served crispy on corn tortillas with melted Oaxaca cheese, fresh onions, and cilantro. Perfectly suited for a hearty main course, the birria consommé is reserved for dipping, enhancing the taco experience with every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Marinade
- 3 pound chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 4 dried Guajillo chilies stems and seeds removed
- 5 chipotle chilies in adobo from a can
- ½ medium white onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup honey
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can peeled crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons lime juice fresh squeezed
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
Tacos
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 16 corn tortillas
- 12 ounces Oaxaca cheese
- ½ white onion diced
- ¼ cup cilantro minced
- Limes for garnish
Instructions
- Season the Meat: Season the chuck roast all around with salt and black pepper to enhance the beef flavor.
- Sear the Roast: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Sear the chuck roast on each side for 2-3 minutes until browned, adding more oil if needed. Remove the roast and transfer it to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Blend the Sauce: In a blender, combine Guajillo chilies, chipotle chilies, diced onion, garlic cloves, honey, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, freshly squeezed lime juice, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, paprika, nutmeg, ground coriander, and dried thyme. Blend until smooth and pour the sauce over the beef in the slow cooker. Place the bay leaves on top.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, allowing the meat to become tender and absorb the rich flavors of the sauce.
- Prepare Consommé and Shred Beef: Remove the bay leaves. Ladle out 1 cup of the birria consommé into a bowl and set aside for dipping. Shred the beef using two forks and mix it thoroughly into the remaining sauce in the slow cooker.
- Prepare Tacos: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip each corn tortilla briefly into the reserved consommé, then place 2-3 tortillas flat in the skillet at a time.
- Assemble and Cook Tacos: On each tortilla, sprinkle a generous layer of Oaxaca cheese over the entire surface. Add shredded beef, diced white onions, and minced cilantro to one side of the tortilla, then fold it in half. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until the cheese melts and the tortilla is crispy, pressing lightly with a spatula for extra crispiness.
- Serve: Strain the remaining consommé through a fine-mesh strainer to remove particles and serve it hot in small bowls for dipping. Garnish tacos with lime wedges and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- When searing the chuck roast, ensure your skillet is hot to create deep browning and flavorful crusts.
- Dip tortillas in consommé before frying to prevent sogginess and add flavor.
- Allow Oaxaca cheese to come to room temperature to melt evenly and quickly.
- Pressing the tacos down with a spatula during cooking produces a crispier texture.
- Use a fine-mesh strainer to strain consommé for a smooth dipping sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 570 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
